habit
1an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary: the habit of looking both ways before crossing the street.
customary practice or use: Daily bathing is an American habit.
a particular practice, custom, or usage: the habit of shaking hands.
a dominant or regular disposition or tendency; prevailing character or quality: She has a habit of looking at the bright side of things.
Often the habit . addiction, especially to narcotics.
mental character or disposition: a habit of mind.
characteristic bodily or physical condition.
the characteristic form, aspect, mode of growth, etc., of an organism: a twining habit.
the characteristic crystalline form of a mineral.
garb of a particular rank, profession, religious order, etc.: a monk's habit.
the attire worn by a rider of a saddle horse.
Idioms about habit
old habits die hard. See entry at old habits die hard.
Origin of habit
1synonym study For habit
Other words for habit
Words Nearby habit
Other definitions for habit (2 of 2)
Archaic. to dwell in.
Obsolete. to dwell.
Origin of habit
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use habit in a sentence
It also delivers valuable brand safety for your ads during the holiday shopping season, and takes advantage of viewers’ natural second screen habits so they can immediately navigate to your site.
5 tips for adding connected TV to your holiday ad strategy | Sponsored Content: SteelHouse | September 14, 2020 | Search Engine LandThey’d already restarted their well-oiled machines and were in the process of booting up new routines and habits.
How a vacation—or a pandemic—can help you adopt better habits now | matthewheimer | September 12, 2020 | FortuneIn April 2020, almost 1,500 parents in Canada reported their kids’ physical activity, screen time and sleep habits since the new coronavirus pandemic hit.
Healthy screen time is one challenge of distance learning | Kathryn Hulick | September 11, 2020 | Science News For StudentsYou can help your customers focus on the end-users’ search habits in your SEO proposal by describing why it doesn’t make sense to improve visibility for queries that are navigational keywords and trigger site links.
SEO proposals: Particular challenges and how to avoid getting a silent no | SEOmonitor | September 10, 2020 | Search Engine WatchThat 2010 study backs up one of Nebel’s preferred study habits.
Top 10 tips on how to study smarter, not longer | Kathiann Kowalski | September 9, 2020 | Science News For Students
Hollywood has developed a habit of relying on what worked best in the past, and 300 was hugely successful.
Does wildlife campaigner Prince Charles's hunting habit make him a hypocrite?
Prince Charles Photographed Shooting, Charges of Animal Cruelty and Royal Hypocrisy Reignited | Tom Sykes | December 1, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWe still retain the 27 November habit, through sheer gluttony more than anything else.
Texas governors have a habit of running for president: Just ask Perry or former president George W. Bush.
Those who dream of a post-partisan future should note that paranoia has a habit of erasing traditional political boundaries.
From ISIS to Ebola, What Has Made Naomi Wolf So Paranoid? | Michael Moynihan | October 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTShe and her younger sister, Janet, had quarreled a good deal through force of unfortunate habit.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate ChopinDoubtless the commentator habit is fixed in the nature of man; but it was pre-eminently mediaeval.
The Mediaeval Mind (Volume II of II) | Henry Osborn TaylorThis habit and the fact that she cares more for color than for drawing are the usual criticisms of her pictures.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D. | Clara Erskine ClementWhen d'Aubran entered, the Seneschal was composed and in his wonted habit of ponderous dignity.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniTo punish the habit, a Turk was seized and a pipe transfixed through his nose.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.
British Dictionary definitions for habit
/ (ˈhæbɪt) /
a tendency or disposition to act in a particular way
established custom, usual practice, etc
psychol a learned behavioural response that has become associated with a particular situation, esp one frequently repeated
mental disposition or attitude: a good working habit of mind
a practice or substance to which a person is addicted: drink has become a habit with him
the state of being dependent on something, esp a drug
botany zoology the method of growth, type of existence, behaviour, or general appearance of a plant or animal: a climbing habit; a burrowing habit
the customary apparel of a particular occupation, rank, etc, now esp the costume of a nun or monk
Also called: riding habit a woman's riding dress
crystallog short for crystal habit
Origin of habit
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for habit
[ hăb′ĭt ]
The characteristic shape of a crystal, such as the cubic habit that is characteristic of pyrite.
The characteristic manner of growth of a plant. For example, grape plants and ivy display a vining habit.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with habit
see kick a habit.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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